The Classification of School Courses

There are many courses in school. For example, there are language courses, English courses, math courses, art courses, leadership courses, science courses, history courses, and other elective courses. Each of these different courses is a classification of individual classes. Therefore, they are divided into these classes.

            Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, and AP Spanish are classified into the Spanish department. French I, French II, French III, and French IV are classified into the French department. Chinese I, Chinese II, and Chinese III are classified into the Chinese department. Each of these three departments are classified into the language department at Vacaville High School. For example, if a student wanted to take a language, they would choose between Spanish, French, and Chinese. If they wanted to take a Spanish class, they would either be placed into Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, or AP Spanish, depending on their level of knowledge of the Spanish language. The more they know or the more fluent they are in Spanish, the higher level of class they are placed in. Thus, if they are just beginning, they would be placed in Spanish I, while if they are completely fluent in Spanish and want more of a challenging course, they would be placed in AP Spanish.

            English 9, English 10, English 10 XL, English 11, AP English Language, English 12, and AP Literature are different classes that are all classified into English courses at Vacaville High School. Students are given the option – depending on their grades and whether or not they passed or failed the previous course – as to which courses they will take. Some students, who are not always looking for a challenge, or who struggle in certain areas, will take the regular courses, whereas students who want to challenge themselves and feel ready, take the AP classes. For example, AP Literature offers a rigorous course in which students read literature and poetry, and are able to analyze their meanings, while English 12 is a more simplistic version of the class.

            Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Algebra II XL, Pre-Calculus, HP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, and Statistics are all classified into Math courses at Vaca High. The math courses are divided into these subdivisions based on difficulty. Algebra is the easiest, and AP Calculus is the hardest, while the Statistics class is the alternative to taking AP Calculus in one’s Senior Year. Students are placed in a certain class based on their skill level in math.

            Survey Art, Photo, and AP Art History are classified into art classes at Vaca High. The art classes are classified into Elective courses. Students are able to choose their art course, including survey art-1, which teaches the basics in drawing, patterns, painting, and shading, survey art-2, which includes pottery and sculpting, Photo, in which students learn how to take different types of pictures, and AP Art, in which students learn of the history of art and artists. The guidelines are that survey art-2 can only be taken after one has taken the survey art-1 course, and that Photo is a class that can only be taken in one’s senior year.

            Student Council and Link Crew are classified into leadership courses. Students must either be elected or chosen to be in Student Council via application, and must be chosen to be in Link Crew through application. Students who want to take either of these courses are often looking to make a change and be an influence in the school. They want to make an impact, and are the leaders of Vaca High.

            Physical Science, Physical Science XL, Biology, Biology XL, Chemistry, Physics, AP Physics, Med Science, and Anatomy are all classified into Science courses. Students must take the courses in chronological order, but can chose between AP or XL science classes, and regular science classes.

            World History, United States History, AP United States History, Econ, Government, and AP Government are classified as history courses at Vacaville High School. Econ and Government are each semester-long classes, while AP Government is a year-long class. Students have the option their senior year of taking the two semester-long courses, or the one year-long course. In one’s junior year, students are able to choose between the AP US History course as opposed to the regular United States History course.

            Art, Architecture, Robotics, Media Arts, Fashion Design, and Foods are all classified as elective courses. Elective courses are classes that students can choose to take. They are optional, and not required to graduate (with the exception of art courses).

            High School courses are also classified into AP or XL courses and regular courses. AP courses are meant to have rigorous curriculums that challenge students and better prepare them for college. Regular courses are easier than the AP classes, but are still called College Prep Classes. Students who take these courses are not necessarily lazy, but rather may not feel ready for AP courses, or already have far too much on their plate. The difference between XL courses and AP courses is that AP classes provide a weighted grade point average, while XL courses are merely more challenging, without providing that extra point towards one’s grade point average.

            Courses in high school are classified in order to provide students with the option as to which classes they will take. Classifying courses also helps to decide which ones students will be placed in based on difficulty, grade, and which classes the student has already passed. Choosing courses is made much easier when the subdivisions are put into categories. Instead of looking at hundreds of classes to choose from, one only needs to look at the different types of classes, and the classes that are part of each category in choosing their high school courses. Students are able to choose their classes based on difficulty, and based on their interests. They are able to choose their language course out of three: Spanish, French, and Chinese, and are able to choose their elective courses. Students are placed in the rest of their courses, given only the option of whether or not to take AP classes. Through classifying these courses, making a student’s schedule is much easier.

           

           

Beauty

            A pretty girl walks in to school and all eyes are on her. Every girl wants to be her, and every guy wants to be with her. People swarm to her, hoping to be her friend and hoping for some gratification in being liked by her. It seems as if she can do no wrong, and no matter how mean or nice, how smart – or not so much --, how humble or conceited, people still want to be with her. She instantly becomes popular, and anyone who says something bad about her is automatically jealous.

            In our society, beauty seems to be what matters, not intelligence, not kindness, not confidence. Beauty. Studies have shown that beautiful people get special treatment from employers, friends, strangers, and even their own families. They reap social and economic gains as well, from a larger dating pool to choose from to lighter punishment in criminal courts – just look at Paris Hilton. She cried, and her jail sentence was reduced from forty-five days to twenty-three days.

            Studies have also shown that women care far more about their appearances than men do. In one such study, women and men were placed in a room and given math problems to complete. On average, the women scored the same as or higher than the men taking the test. The same group of people were brought back into the room again later, but this time, they were clad only in swimsuits. The women faired worse on the second test, because they were so worried about how they looked in their swimsuits compared to the other women in the room and in the eyes of the men that they could not concentrate on crunching numbers. Women compare themselves to other, prettier girls, and are disappointed with the conclusion that they are ugly. They also look at the small imperfections and pick each part of their face apart, rather than looking at themselves as a whole, the way they would normally look at everyone else. If they have a bump on their nose, they see it as a huge flaw that makes them ugly, but if their friend has one, it is something that gives her character, and makes her even prettier. Girls tend to look at themselves as far less attractive than they truly are and pick themselves apart with a fine-toothed comb. This is, in part, because of the standards that have been set for beauty.

            If you look at the models and actresses of today, they seem to be flawless. They are, for the most part, tall and thin, with gorgeous flowing hair, perfect facial structures – real or acquired through plastic surgery – and award winning smiles. Every girl – myself included – wants to look like them to some extent. There is always something about us we don’t like: our nose, our smile, our hair, our skin, our body. There is always something we want to change. We often wish that we could look like those celebrities and models, that it would be easier, and that people would like us more. In part, this is true, because in today’s society, beauty is often what gets people noticed. It is what draws attraction, and it is at some times what keeps it. Some girls even go as far as starving themselves to look more like the famous people they see on television, in movies, and in magazines. They will stop at no ends to meet their goals of perfection – an oftentimes-unobtainable goal. Even the images of celebrities are airbrushed to meet these unreachable standards.

            However, that is not to say that the entire world is full of shallow people who only see beauty on the surface. There are plenty of people who care more about inner beauty rather than beauty on the outside. Kindness, intelligence, and humbleness are extremely important qualities that can overpower surface beauty in the eyes of many people.

            With that being said, why do so many girls care so much about their appearance and constantly try to change it? Again, because of the pressures of society. Although it is perfectly well known that all people don’t only care about appearances on the outside, we still feel that we are not good enough. Those who are shallow often overshadow the more realistic people in the world. We tend to listen to the negative opinions rather than the positive ones. One negative comment can overpower multiple positive ones. If someone says that a big nose is unattractive, but another person says that it is a unique characteristic that one doesn’t need to complain about, girls will almost undoubtedly remember and take the negative comment to heart more than the positive comment that was made.  Thus, girls spend hours doing their hair and make up, and trying to look their best, just to get noticed, to feel prettier, or to feel better about themselves. Instead of being thankful for what we have, we tear ourselves apart, and are often not satisfied with what we see.

            There are always exceptions to the stereotypical views of society, though. Not all girls look at themselves in the mirror and hate what they see. Many girls are perfectly content, if not completely happy, with the way they look. They may not always look like supermodels, but at least they are comfortable with themselves and the way they look. They don’t worry so much about what others think, and carry themselves with confidence, because they are happy with the way they look, bringing forth true beauty. Studies have shown that this is the way most males carry themselves. They place less value on their own appearances than females do, but some also care too much about females’ appearances.

            In short, far too much value is placed on physical appearances in today’s society. Pretty people often times earn more respect and get special treatment, but not all people in this world see outer beauty as a thing of utmost importance. Many people care more about the inner qualities others possess. Inner beauty can overshadow outer beauty on many occasions. However, girls still care far too much about their appearances based on their own views of themselves, based on the standards that seem to be placed on beauty, and based on what others tell them. In a perfect world, everyone would be able to feel good about themselves without having to put on pounds of make up and feeling the need compare themselves with others. 

Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect

            In many students’ opinions, high school is a time of great importance and the ability to absorb any and all knowledge possible is quite dire. Colleges – namely Universities – look for the best, and weed out the applicants that just don’t seem to come up to par. Because of this, high school students feel the need to excel at what they do, and to take as many AP courses as they can handle – or so they think.

            The group of students who yearn to learn more, and to be accepted into every college to which they apply – or at least to their top choice –do not just sit around, slack off, and glide their way through high school without a care in the world. These students work hard. They take AP courses, spend their time with extracurricular activities, and do everything in their power to make sure their application will stand out on judgment day.

            Students spend many a sleepless night studying and trying to complete at least half of the homework assignments they were assigned that day. It is a constant struggle, and a difficult balance. The extracurricular activities may just be the breaking point of such a balance, but they are necessary to add something more to the college application, so students do not dare to quit them. Some however, do their extracurriculars out of love for the sport, art, activity, etc but are still just as pressured and stressed with the piles of schoolwork added to the hours of daily practice.

            AP courses hold true to the title of “Advanced Placement.” There is an almost guaranteed load of an hour or more of homework in each class, often amounting to several hours of sitting in front of computers and textbooks each night. Sleep becomes irrelevant, and highschoolers often go with almost none. Some sleep for three hours. The lucky ones get five or six hours. Maybe.

            Students put so much pressure on themselves that stress becomes a huge issue in and of itself. They lack sleep, and are much more prone to getting sick, because of the low immunity systems that result. The more days one is sick, the more days they are forced to missed school, and the further and further they fall behind in the quick moving AP courses. It is very difficult to catch up in these, especially when more than one AP class is being taken at a time. The student’s grades may fall for a short while, causing more stress, more extra hours studying and completing homework – or at least attempting to – and thus, the cycle repeats itself again and again. It is like falling into an endless pit; it goes on and on.

            The only saving grace of the immense workload given is that the grades are weighted. An “A” is worth five points instead of four points; a “B” is worth four points instead of three; and a “C” is worth three points instead of two points. That being said, AP courses are many times harder than regular College Prep courses, and it takes a much larger amount of effort to earn an “A” in them.

            Often times, the only break students are given is during summer vacation. There are piles of homework to be done over the weekends, and often times during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Breaks. It is a constant cycle of work, and there is hardly any time to relax and recuperate from so much stress and so many long hours of work that it only causes more stress and pressure. Without breaks, students are not able to recover as quickly when they fall ill, or get a sufficient amount of sleep, even on the weekends.

            Students do, however, reap the benefits of learning time management skills while they are in high school rather than while they are in college. With so much work, they are forced to manage their time to be able to get any of their work done. Procrastinating is much more detrimental in AP courses. Therefore, they gain better study habits to better prepare them for college, through which there will never be enough time to study.

            Colleges look at the students who take AP courses as more focused and dedicated, and during a time when it is extremely competitive to apply and get accepted into top Universities, every extra point on one’s Grade Point Average (GPA) counts. Those who take AP classes are indeed held to a higher standard, and asked to set and raise the bar constantly. Thus, they are also the one’s who are looked at more seriously by college admission boards – as long as one is earning high grades in such courses – and more likely to get accepted into the schools of their choice.

            One of the most substantial benefits to taking AP classes is that through passing the AP test for each AP class taken, one may receive college credits for that course. This allows them to not have to take that class altogether, or to at least not have to take as much time on said classes. This allows for more free time, or time to take additional classes, such as electives or classes working toward one’s chosen major or minor.  Through taken these AP classes, students are able to do more in a shorter amount of time.

So the big pay off for all of the work? They might, just might, get accepted to their top choice of college in this highly competitive time, and if they do get accepted into college, they won’t have to take the courses that they passed on the AP test. Is it worth it though, with all of the stress and pressure, with the lack of free time, with the intense loads of homework each night, and with the almost inevitable weaker immune system?  I, and many other AP students think so. Through taking AP classes comes a stronger sense of self, a better appreciation of time management, better preparation for college, and a better chance in getting accepted to colleges. If the price one has to pay is merely a few missed parties and a lack of sleep, then count me in. 

Woody Vs. Buzz Lightyear

            In Toy Story 1, Woody is young Andy’s favorite toy. However, he feels replaced when Andy brings in a new action figure, Buzz Lightyear.

            While both toys are heroic figures, Buzz has more flashiness to his appearance than Woody. The Space Ranger has wings with blinking lights that pop out of his back at the simple push of a button, a glowing “laser beam” that comes out of his wrist, and multiple catch phrases accessible by pressing the different, multi-colored badges on his chest. Woody on the other hand, has a cowboy badge, a hat, and a pull string attached to his back that causes him to utter his catch phrases, including the famous, “There’s a snake in my boot!”

            Buzz is made completely out of plastic with an over-confident smile plastered on his face. He is shown as sturdy and strong, and is usually placed with his hands on his hips. Woody, however, is made mostly of cloth and plush, with his head, hands, and boots made of plastic. His head is larger than it should be, but his face is painted with an honest smile, giving him a more friendly appeal. He is often thrown around and positioned as one might imagine a rag doll would be.

            Buzz stands tall and proud with his shoulders back and chest out. His chin is often up, and his hands are firmly planted on his hips. He walks with confidence and swagger. His gestures are strong and central to his torso. He rarely raises his arms above his shoulder. This gives off an aura of self-control. Woody, though, uses lighter gestures that tend to be higher up, often above his head. He sometimes pushes his shoulders forward in a stoop when he is filled with anxiety.

Buzz’s personality reflects his appearance. He is sure of himself to the point of arrogance at times, enjoys showing off, and believes in his own infallibility. Woody sees things more realistically and is a natural leader. He is not as confident as Buzz is, and feels shoved aside when the new, “cooler” toy arrives. He devises plans to be rid of Buzz for his own benefit, although he cannot truly go through with them because he is too kind of heart.

            Buzz is so overly confident that he does not believe he is a toy at first. He thinks that he is a real space ranger, on a mission to an unidentified planet, Andy’s room. Woody is annoyed with this, because the other toys seem to be so interested in everything the action figure has to say, and apparently believe him. Woody is used to being the center of attention, and is jealous of and angry at Buzz for stealing his limelight.

            When faced with dilemmas, both toys react in different ways. Buzz, who is confident most of the time, crawls into a shell. He has a breakdown and gives up. Woody is a problem solver, though. When something does not go his way, he figures out a way to fix it. He realizes that you only fail if you never try, and that trying is the only possible route to success.

            No matter how different they are, Buzz and Woody are able to come together when it truly counts. After being trapped in the evil Syd (Andy’s neighbor)’s house, Buzz and Woody immediately think of exit strategies. Buzz decides to try to fly out, against Woody’s multiple warnings. He crashes and breaks his arm, realizing that he really is just a toy. At this point, Buzz gives up and has a breakdown. He plays tea party with Syd’s sister and refuses to help Woody prove to their friends across the street in Andy’s room that they are truly alive together, and that Woody did not harm or get rid of him, as was his original plan. The space ranger believed that there was no point and no hope, and that they would never make it out of their prison. Without Buzz’s help, though, the toys do not believe Woody and refuse to be of any assistance whatsoever.

            Later, Buzz snaps out of his absurd state of being, and helps Woody and the rest of Syd’s tortured toys in their efforts to creep out the boy. They move and talk to him, and through this, are able to escape.

            It is too late, though. Andy and his family are moving, and are driving to another house. Buzz attempts to fly once more, without Woody questioning him. The wind carries the cowboy and space ranger safely through the sunroof of the car and into one of the moving boxes right next to where Andy is seated.

            The toys overcame their differences in times of trouble, and realized that they were more alike in many ways than either of them would have thought, and that what they did differ on helped them as well. They both had strong personalities, but were able to compromise when it was necessary. Woody was calm in a trying situation, while Buzz was more emotional. This enabled Woody to devise a plan, and Buzz to have time to cool down. While Woody took time to think things out, Buzz was more sporadic in his actions, with a “do now, think later” approach. This was especially helpful in catching up to the car. Woody’s planned and calculated scheme was more helpful though in escaping the house in which they were trapped.

            The contrast in personalities, appearance, demeanor, and behavior also help the audience see the characters better individually. Each difference is highlighted because the two characters are constantly together. By getting to know Buzz, it is inevitable that viewers see who Woody is through the similarities and differences between them. Without Buzz, Woody’s personality would not be as emphasized, and the story would have less meaning and would garner less attention and focus on the plot. Because the toys provide a contrast for one another, the movie is more enjoyable, and the characters are more relatable and understandable.  

Connotation

                By dictionary definition, the word “retarded” means: characterized by slowness or limitation in intellectual understanding and awareness, emotional development, academic progress, etc. In today’s society, the denotation of the word has given way to a negative connotation.

                If one asks any teenager, and even some adults, in our culture what the word “retarded” means, the answer would most likely be along the lines of: stupid, idiot, etc. Instead of being used to describe a true mental limitation, the word is used as an insult.

                “Retarded” is used against friends whom one jokingly makes fun of; people one dislikes and thinks are annoying, stupid, etc.; situations that are unfavorable; and worst of all: to make fun of those with mental disabilities. It is generally used in a jeering manner, and can often times be hurtful to those being called the name.

                What was once used to describe a medical condition is now most predominantly known by its negative slang form. If one calls a person with mental disabilities “retarded” they are often perceived as rude, insensitive, or plain and simple – a jerk. While at one time, the word may have been used without consequence, it is now an insult along the lines of: idiot, stupid, as well as much worse.

                Denotations and connotations of certain words and phrases vary depending upon how they are said. In this case, unless used by a doctor or as a medical term, “retarded” has a negative connotation. There are always exceptions to this statement, however, such as lovingly mocking someone or making fun of friends in a joking manner. Though for the most part, the way today’s society perceives the word “retarded” is not in a positive light.

Everything is an Argument

              In writing, nearly everything is an argument – an address or composition intended to convince or persuade; persuasive discourse. Thus, every statement is an argument. Each written idea, thought process and belief are backed up by facts, evidence, and opinions. These arguments are not always blatantly obvious, though, and require one to use insight and knowledge to identify them. Every book has them; even J.K. Rowling’s widely popular book series, Harry Potter.

                Rowling’s Harry Potter novels obtained high praise and brought the author immense fame. Her series of seven books became a worldwide sensation, and were eventually brought to the big screen as a highly successful chain of movies. The books, which center around a young wizard and his two friends, may appear to simply be about the fantasy world of witchcraft and wizardry, combined with aspects of action, love, and heroism on the surface. However, embedded in the stories and excitement, is an argument.

                As cliché as it may sound, the Harry Potter series argues that friendship and love can endure life’s greatest hardships and challenges (namely fighting the evil Lord Voldemort , a half-dead wizard bent on taking over both the wizarding and “muggle” worlds). The type of the argument used is definition through examples.

                Many scenarios in each book support Rowling’s argument. In the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, for example, Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger teamed up to overcome great challenges, including fighting an ogre, outsmarting a giant dog with three heads, winning a deadly game of chess, surviving man-eating vines, and ultimately saving the school of Hogwarts and the world.  Because of his friends, Harry was able to face and defeat Lord Voldemort for the second time. The first time Harry defeated Voldemort, however, was because of the love of his mother. Through her love, Lily Potter prevented her infant son’s death, causing the Dark Lord’s spell to backfire and ultimately destroy himself.   

                In the second of Rowling’s books, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were again faced with fatal challenges. A basilisk traveling through the school petrified and killed students and staff who were unfortunate enough to cross paths with it and look it in the eye or see it in a reflection.  The three friends were determined to discover who or what was causing the mysterious evils, and again teamed up to investigate. In the end, Harry defeated the basilisk, who had been summoned by Tom Riddle – Voldemort—because of the help and love of his friends.

                In the third and fourth novels, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the theme reigns true again. Because of their love for their friend Hagrid, Hogwarts’ gamekeeper, Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved his hippogriff, Buckbeak in the third installment. In the same book, they were also able to save Sirius Black, who was accused of leading Lord Voldemort to Lily and James Potter (Harry’s parents), ultimately causing their death. Harry learned that contrariwise, Sirius was actually his father’s friend and his own godfather, and that he had been misled to believe otherwise. With the help of Hermione and her ability to time travel, they successfully rescued him from imprisonment. In the fourth book, Harry was chosen to take part in the Triwizard Tournament, for which he was underage. Much controversy surrounded him, but he was guided by his friends and teachers, and won the tournament. When he grabbed the trophy, however, he was transported to a graveyard, where the newly reincarnated Voldemort awaited him. The two enemies battled, and Harry’s parents’ spirits warded him off long enough for their son to escape. Love, again, prevailed over evil.

                In the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry learned more about his past and destiny. With his friends at his side, he was constantly reminded of how loved he truly was. His godfather, Sirius Black, sacrificed himself in the fifth book during a battle in order to protect Harry. In the sixth book, Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts’ headmaster, taught Harry of the events of Voldemort’s life and explained to Harry what he would need to do to kill the evil wizard once and for all. Dumbledore died for the cause of killing Voldemort. He knew it would be necessary, and because of his love for Harry, as well as his hopes of defeating the Dark Lord, he did not fight back when he was struck down.

                In the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry, Hermione, and Ron skipped their seventh and final year at Hogwarts to search for Horcruxes – items in which Voldemort placed parts of his soul. In order to truly kill the Dark Lord, they had to find each Horcrux and destroy it. This book truly brings home the truth behind Rowling’s argument of friendship and love enduring all. Many sacrifices were made for the good of the world. For instance, Dobby the House Elf sacrificed himself to save Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they were attacked by one of Voldemort’s followers (in the second novel, Harry had freed Dobby from his evil masters).  In the final battle, many of Harry’s friends, teachers, and other wizards fought against the Dark Lord and his army. Many died protecting Harry, who was Voldemort’s first priority to kill – an act of revenge. When Harry learned that he himself was a horcrux, he readily sacrificed himself because of the love he possessed for his friends and for everyone who was fighting for him, and for the world. Voldemort killed him, but Harry was able to return, and in the end, with the help of his friends, the Dark Lord was defeated once and for all. Love, friendship, and self- sacrifice overpowered the evil and darkness in the world.

                Through the use of multiple examples throughout her entire Harry Potter book series, author J.K. Rowling was able to argue her point effectively. She proved that love and friendship are truly great values in the world.

What is a Reader?

     In our society, every literate person -- to some extent -- is a "reader". If one has ever read anything --whether it be a magazine, book, or newspaper -- and gained something from it (knowledge, entertainment, etc.), they are almost undeniably classified as such.
     Being a true reader, however, has much more to do with one’s experiences through stories than it does with simply picking up a book and flipping through the pages, gaining information, but never truly delving in deeper to find more meaning. In merely looking at the surface, one does not gain as much from books. Through reflecting on what one has read and looking into the meaning of what was written and why it was written, a whole new level of learning is opened up. It is of great importance to understand what the author’s intentions were, and what their more discreet messages offer to the book as a whole. It is also valuable to reflect upon what the book, article, etc. means to oneself. In understanding this, one has truly begun to read.
     Ever since I could talk, I have loved books. In my experience, I have read almost every genre -- from gossip magazines to non-fictional biographies and everything in between. . Having been brought up in a family that values the importance of reading and the gifts given to us through books, I fell in love with reading at a young age. As a toddler I would carry around children's stories and beg people to read to me. In second grade, I would carry around my Junie B. Jones books everywhere as if they were sacred. When I got older I would begin to read more challenging novels of different styles and genres. I curled up with a good book and would read for what seemed like hours, immersed in whatever place the story took me. That has always been my favorite thing about reading -- through books, we are able to travel to places we have never been, or would never imagine going.
     Being a reader is important in that there is always something to be gained in books. One can learn so much through reading, including common knowledge, life lessons, and boundless amounts of other information. There are books on nearly every topic one can think of, and all people have access to the information they provide. It's as simple as turning a page.
     Reading has always been something I have enjoyed, but in getting older, I do not have as much time on my hands to simply pick up a book. I now have homework and practice, and most of my free time is spent with friends or on catching up on sleep. Therefore, as a reader, I aim to improve the amount of time I spend on books, because, as A C Grayling once said, "To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries."